Extension of methods to utilize fully ceramic micro-encapsulated fuel in light water reactors

a technology of micro-encapsulation and light water reactor, which is applied in the field of nuclear technologies, can solve the problems of limiting nuclear proliferation and diversion opportunities, reducing the overall waste volume, and the heavy metal mass in fcm fuel pellets is considerably lower than the average, so as to increase the increase the diameter, and increase the effect of heavy metal and fissile mass

Inactive Publication Date: 2013-12-05
KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RES INST
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Benefits of technology

[0016]12×12 or 13×13 replacement fuel assemblies containing fully ceramic micro-encapsulated (“FCM”) fuel rods that are smaller in number and larger in diameter than conventional solid UO2 fuel rods in a standard reference fuel assembly are utilized to increase the heavy metal and fissile mass in the FCM fuel pellets, while retaining operational compatibility with the standard reference fuel assembly for light water reactors. Additionally, increased diameter of the kernel of each tristructural-isotropic (“TRISO”) particle in the FCM fuel pellet, and/or the packing fraction of the TRISO particles in the compact and/or the fissile enrichment of the heavy metal also

Problems solved by technology

Higher burnup may not only reduce the overall waste volume but also limit possible nuclear proliferation and diversion opportunities.
However, the heavy metal mass in a FCM fuel pelle

Method used

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  • Extension of methods to utilize fully ceramic micro-encapsulated fuel in light water reactors
  • Extension of methods to utilize fully ceramic micro-encapsulated fuel in light water reactors
  • Extension of methods to utilize fully ceramic micro-encapsulated fuel in light water reactors

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Embodiment Construction

[0045]For an illustrative embodiment of the present teachings, the dimensional differences between a 12×12 FCM fuel pellet and a reference standard 16×16 solid UO2 fuel pellet are shown in Table 1 below.

16 × 1612 × 12Fuel typeSolidTRISO in SiC matrixFuel assembly pitch (cm)20.5820.58Pin pitch (cm)1.28631.715Fuel pin diameter (cm)0.9501.594Pellet diameter (cm)0.8191.451Gap thickness (cm)0.00850.0085Clad thickness (cm)0.05700.0630

[0046]Table 1 shows that the corresponding 12×12 FCM fuel assembly and 16×16 standard fuel assembly have the same fuel assembly pitch while the 12×12 FCM fuel assembly has larger fuel pin and fuel pellet diameters. Accordingly, the volume in the FCM fuel pellet is bigger than that of the reference standard 16×16 solid fuel pellet. The number of rods, disposition and dimensions, including control rod arrangement, are chosen to allow the similar power production in the FCM fuel assembly as in the reference standard fuel assembly and the compatible neutronic and...

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Abstract

A 12×12 fully ceramic micro-encapsulated fuel assembly for a light water nuclear reactor includes a set of FCM fuel rods bundled in a square matrix arrangement. The fully ceramic micro-encapsulated fuel is comprised of tristructural-isotropic particles. Each tristructural-isotropic particle has a kernel that is comprised uranium nitride. The kernel diameter is 400 or more micrometers. The fully ceramic micro-encapsulated fuel is further mixed with a burnable poison material.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit and priority of U.S. Patent Application No. 61 / 561,829, entitled “EXTENSION OF METHODS TO UTILIZE FULLY CERAMIC MICRO-ENCAPSULATED FUEL IN LWRS,” filed Nov. 19, 2011, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Furthermore, this application is related to a U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 567,243, entitled “DISPERSION CERAMIC MICRO-ENCAPSULATED (DCM) NUCLEAR FUEL AND RELATED METHODS,” filed Aug. 6, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference. This application is also related to a U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 669,200, entitled “FULLY CERAMIC MICROENCAPSULATED REPLACEMENT FUEL ASSEMBLIES FOR LIGHT WATER RETACTORS,” filed Nov. 5, 2012, which is hereby incorporated by reference.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0002]The present invention relates generally to nuclear technologies, and more particularly relates to a fully ceramic micro-encapsulated fuel pellet and a fully ceramic micro-enca...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): G21C3/07G21C3/32
CPCG21C3/07G21C3/32G21C3/626G21C3/045Y02E30/30
Inventor VENNERI, FRANCESCOLEE, WON JAE
Owner KOREA ATOMIC ENERGY RES INST
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